Cooling jacket and cylinder construction



T. L. SHERMAN COOLING JACKET AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTION Dec; 2a, 1948.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2 2, 1946 T INVEN%OR ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1948. T. L. SHERMAN COOLING JACKET AND CYLINDER CONSTRUCTION- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1946 INVENTO BY Wow ATTORNEY6 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES ATENroFncE COOLING JACKET AND CYLINDER consranqrrorz Thomas L. Sherman, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to The Steel Products Engineering 00., Spring! field, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 22 194 Serial No.6i56,293

8 Claims. 1- (Cl. 123-473) This invention relates to crankless mechanisms,

and more particularly to a cooling system for an internal combustion engine of the crankless type wherein the reciprocating movement of the pistons is translated into rotary movement of a shaft through a slant or swash plate mounted for rotation with said shaft.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient cooling systerm for internal combustion engines of the above type and having particular application to such engines wherein each cylinder has a pair of opposed pistons mounted therein for reciprocation in opposite directions.

Another object is to provide a cooling system for such engines which is capable of supplying separate parallel flows of coolant to each cylinder to maintain a substantially uniform temperature in all the cylinders.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a cooling system for such engines which includes passages for directing a full and adequate flow of coolant into contact with the walls of the ex- 1.

haust ducts to increase the cooling effect for these walls.

A further object is to provide a cooling system for such engines which includes passages for dividing the coolant substantially equally among all the cylinders to equalize their temperatures.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent Fig. 'lis a view looking generally in the direction indicated by the'line 'l! in Fig. 6 and showing the outer endof-the construction of Fig. 6,

with parts broken away to show more clearly the structural details; and

Fig.8 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating-a modification of a structural detail'of the engine shown in-Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention, the engine is of the opposed piston, crankless type pistons l2 and I3 adapted for reciprocation in opposite directions and connected throughsuitable bridge means ll-to'slantsor; swash plates I 5 positioned at each end of the engine within housings l6 and, IT and suitably secured to slant shaft it; theseparts being shown diagram.-

matically in Fig. 1 and a similar arrangement of from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In' the drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout- Fig. l'is a View partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating a crankless engine provided with a cooling system constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a composite view in vertical section of the engine shown in Fig. 1, the left half of the section being taken on the line Za-Za. in Fig. 1 and the right half being taken on the line 2b2b in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, the left half being taken on the line 3a3a in Fig. 1 and the right half being taken on the line 3b-3b in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a half section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a half view looking in the direction indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 1 and showing the outer end of the engine;

Fig. 6 is a partial view in side elevation illustrating an engine and cooling system of the type shown in Figs. 15 as applied to an airplane;

pistons and slants and means for connecting slant shaft H to main driven shaft l8 being shown in the above mentioned patent. A blower 20-or other auxiliary unit at the opposite end of the engine frommain shaft l8 may be similarly placed in driven connection with slant shaft l I. Each of cylinders [0 includes an intake duct 2| through which air or mixture is taken in through ,afs'eries of 'ports- 22,. a. combustion chamber 23 disposed approximately centrally of the cylinder, and a ring' of exhaust ports 24 leading to outlet ous cylinders and its shape in cross section is,

clearlyshown in the left half ofFig. 2; The annular portion 36 adjacent thecentral plane of the :engine f-is provided 1 with circumferentially spaced circular apertures for each of the'five cylinders l0, and the diameter of these apertures is-suflicientlylarger than the outer diameter of part of the engine and may be formed integrally therewith as shown at the right in Fig. 2.

In engines of the type shown in Fig. 1, the pertions of the cylinder exposed to the gre test amount of heat are the combustion chamber 23' and the exhaust duct and its passages and. chambers through which the hot gases: escape from the cylinder. makes special provision forefiective cooling 0t these portions of the cylindef'w'alls. Each of 1'5 The invention according-1y cylinders I0 is provided with an outwairldly tending central flange of hand overlying the combustien; chamber 23- andservin-g; also to locate the cylinder irrproperly spaced relation with the circular walls 38'. The outer suri ace ofi thi-sband milled to provide a plurality of grooves-4'0, which extend in thegeneral direction of thelength ofthe oylinder completely across the locating ban-d1 Grooves -40 alternate with rib-like portions 4! which remain from the flange-and engage in locating con-tact withthe inner surface ofwalls 38,; this construction being most clearly shown in Fig 2. Grooves 40. provide"; communica tion for coolant from annular passage 31- to; a corresponding annular passage 42 which .li'es axially between the combustion; chamber andthe exhaust duct-0t the cylinder. Since the presence of rib portions 4| restricts the' totalacrossvsection-alareavofr grooves, 40- with respect to their adjacent annular passages 31 and 42, this results substantially increasing the velocity oi? the coolant in' passing thfouglr'grobves 40, and since during this state or increased velocity the coolant is direct contact witli th'e outersurface of the cylinder wan event ng thecofiibustin cheater, this rovides for increased edoueg direct rapid transfer-"of heat from the combustion chaise b'r iidpriizit; overheating 'r s terminated atits -1 I era-'1 fiangecr'ban-d 4s the cylinder which the exhaust ports 24 are formed, these ports'bsi'ng cut th ough I I iy atfthemid'mornm of tlifs'bancffi. The ex aust gase fpass'through these-ports nto the exhaust chamberfland outlet duct 2e, is partly annular in crnss=secuon as hown in the" right half of Fig"; 3*, ajnd'th'ence" to theatmosph-efe; .Tl'i se ports 24' are arranged" in spaced relation around tne'cyiinderfand the remaining portions of flange 45 and .the cylinder 43 and thef'lange portions at each endtl'le reof aife' drilled at 41 to providea series of restricted channels which serve to co duct coolant at increased velocity trom annular passage .42 across 4 the exhaust chamber to an outer chamber shown more clearly in Fig. 4.

In order next to provide for cooling the remainder of the exhaust chamber, the direction of the coolant is reversed from chamber 50,,and it is conducted back through an annular passage 51 which is formed between theinner walls 52 of exhaust chambers 25 and cylindrical member 53 which surrounds slant shaft H and corresponds to member 34 at the opposite end of the engine. This chamber 5| is generally star-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 3, and connects at its inner end with an annular chamber 54 generally similar in outline to the supply chamber 35'and positioned axially between the exhaust ducts 25 and combustion chambers 23 of the cylinders, as shown in Fig, 1. Chamber 54 in turn connects with a plurality of generally sectorsli'aped-paissages 55, there being one of these passages 55 positioned between each pair of cylinders Ill andformedby theouter casing 58 of thisporti on'oi the engine and the side Wal1s'5l of exhaust chambers 2-5,- which connect at 58- with the inner, walls .52 of the exhaust chambers, and the ex--' tended; portions 59- of these side walls 51. Each ofthese passages 55 is-providedat its axially outer end with a discharge port 60 for coolant,-and these ports may be connected with a suitable radiator for acirculating system, as is shown in Figsafi and: 7, each of these ports being shown as provided with a-fitting- 61 for use in making such a connectionvIn order also to permit controlled leakage and the escape of trapped air and thc like, a small opening may be provided as indicated at 6;5 at the top ofannular chamber 50.

Wi-th the above construction the coolant ,initially transmitted to supply chamber 35 by Way of pump 30 and pipe 32 is divided substantially equally among the five cylinders and forced through the annular passages 31 surrounding eachcylinder; The grooves 49- in flange M which overliethe combustion chamber of each cylinder provide-for restricting the passage of the coolant these bars aids in carrying off the heat absorbed Also, since thisconstruction provides for resistance to the flow ofcoolantadjacent the combustion chain by the bars from the exhaust fumes.

bers and exhaust chambers which are large in effiect in comparison with the remainder of the system, this results in effectively directing paralle'l fiowsof coolant around each cylinder which will be substantially equal in amount. The dam-- tially the entire outer surface of the wall members surrounding exhaust-chambers 25.

provides for thorough and. eifioient cooling of theexhaust chambers andexhaust ducts,- which are] a This inurormal operation at portions of the engine subjected to the maximum. intensity of heat.

Figs; cand 7 illustrate the application of the,

cooling system shown inv Figs. 1-5 to, an airplane engine. In Figs. 6 and 7 the fittings 6| at the discharge ports are shown as eachprovided with a pipe 10 communicating with a manifold H which is generally annular and connectsat 12 with the header 13 of a radiator 14. This radiator is shown as also of annular shape and surrounds the front slant housing 15 through which the driven shaft 76 extends for connecting with a propeller. Radiator 14 is provided with a suitable filler cap 11 and a pipe 18 adapted to return the coolant to a pump such as pump 30 in Fig. 1 to complete the circulating cooling system. A small pipe 19 connecting the top of the engine with header 13 provides for controlled leakage and the escape of trapped air and the like and may connect with the opening 65 shown in Fig. 1. Element 80 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, represents an exhaust manifold connecting the exhaust ports Bl corresponding to chambers 25 of each cylinder. The dotted outline at 85 represents a streamlined cowling or like structure which may readily enclose the engine and cooling system for minimum resistance to air flow in flight.

If it appears in operation that adequate cooling of the exhaust chambers is obtained without passing all of the coolant through passage means may be provided for permitting some of the coolant to bypass this passage and flow directly to chamber 54 and passage 55. Such a bypass structure is shown in Fig. 8, wherein the chamber 50' which corresponds to chamber 50 connectswith chamber 54 not only through passage 5| "but also through passage 55', the extended wall portion corresponding to portion '59 in Figs. 1 and 4 being eliminated. Elements 52, 51' and 58 in Fig. 8 correspond to elements 52, 51 and 58, respectively, in Fig. 1. A tube 90 has one end mounted in discharge port 60', and its other end 9! extends through passage 55 into chamber 5 and is bent inwardly towards the central axis of the engine. With this construction,the coolant is divided after leaving chamber 50' with part traveling through passage 5| to chamber 54 as in Fig. 1, and the remainder traveling through passage 55' in the opposite direction from its direction through the corresponding passage 55 in Fig. 1 in order to reach inner end 9| of tube 90 to the discharge part. This will still, however, as in Fig. 1, provide for directing coolant into contact with all the outer surfaces of the wall members forming the exhaust chambers, the difference being that whereas in Fig. 1 all the coolant passes through all the passages surrounding the exhaust chambers, with the construction of Fig. 8, part of the coolant acts on some of these chamber walls and the remainder on the other chamber walls.

' While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the inven-.

tion, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein Without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each cylinder having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing an annular supply chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chambers, means for supplying coolant to said annular chamber, means providing a second annular chamber coaxial with said annular supply chamber and positionedbetween saidexhaust chambers and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing passages; for said coolant from said annular supply chamber to said outer annular chamber, said passage-providing means directin said coolant into contact with the walls of said cylinders, and means. providing an outlet for said coolant from said outer annular chamber.

2. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing an annular supply chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chambers, means for supplying coolant to said annular chamber, means providing a second annular chamber coaxial with said annular supply chamber and positioned between said exhaust chambers and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing passages for said coolant from said annular supply chamber to said outer annular chamber, said passage-providing means directing said coolant into contact with the walls of said cylinders, means providing a third annular chamber axially intermediate said first named annular chambers, means providing a passage for said coolant from said outer annular chamber to said intermediate annular chamber and directing said coolant into contact with the outer walls of said exhaust chambers, and means providing an outlet for said coolant from said intermediate annular chamber.

3. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each having a substantially centrally located combustion chamberand an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in. opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing an annular supply chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chambers,

means for supplying coolant to said annular chamber, means providing a second annular chamber coaxial with said annular supply cham-.

ber and positioned between said exhaust chambers and.the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing passages-for said coolant from said annular supply chamber to saidouter annular chamber, said passage-providing means directing said'coolant into contact with thewalls of said cylinders, means providing a third andescribed and. including a plurality of cylinders circinnferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing an annular supply chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chamber, means providing a second annular chamber coaxial with said annular supply chamber and positioned between said exhaust chambers and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing an annular passage for coolant surrounding each of said cylinders and connecting with both said annular supply chamber and said outer annular chamber, a locating member positioned. within each said annular passage substantially overlying the combustion chamber of the adjacent cylinder and having outer dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of said passage, means providing a plurality of grooves across said locating member parallel to the axis of said cylinder, said grooves providing for restricted travel of said coolant through said annular passage and in contact with the outer wall of said combustion chamber, and means providing a plurality of outlet passages for said coolant from said outer annular chamber and directing said coolant into contact with the outer walls of said exhaust chambers.

5. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft and each having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned adjacent one outer end thereof, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing a supply chamber for coolant, means for supplying coolant to said supply chamber, means providing an annular chamber between said exhaust chamber and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing an annular passage for coolant surrounding each of said cylinders and connecting with both said supply chamber and said outer annular chamber, a circumferential band on each of said cylinders axially overlying the exhaust chamber thereof, means providing a plurality of ports extending radially through each said band providing ducts for exhaust from said cylinder to said exhaust chamber, means providing a plurality of passages parallel to the axis of each cylinder extending through said band and through the material thereof between said ports, said passages extending from the adjacent annular passage to said outer annular chambers, and being of substantially less total i cross sectional area than the corresponding area of said adjacent annular passage andpr-oviding for restricted passage of coolant therethrough and for increasing the velocity of travel of said coolant, and means providinga plurality of outlet passages for said coolant from said outer annular chamber and directing said coolant into contact with the outer walls of said exhaust chambers.

d. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentiall-y disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft and each having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned adjacent one outer end thereof, a cooling system com prising, in combination, means providing an annular supply chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chambers, means for supplying coolant to said annular chamber. means providing a second annular chamber 00- axial with said supply chamber and positioned between said exhaust chambers and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing an annular passage for coolant surrounding each or said cylinders and connecting with both said supply chamber and said outerannular chamber, a locating member substantially overlying the combustion chamber of each cylinder and having outer dimensions substantially equal to the inner dimensions of said annular passages, means providing a plurality of grooves across said locating member parallel to the axis of said cylinder, said grooves providing for restricted travel of said coolant through said annular passage and in contact with the outer wall of said combustion chamber, means providing a third annular cham-- ber axially intermediate said annular chambers and directing said coolant into contact with the outer walls of said exhaust chambers, and means providing a plurality of outlet passages for said coolant from said intermediate annular chamber and directing said coolant into contact with other portions of the outer walls of said exhaust chambers. Y

7. In a crankless mechanism of the character described and including a plurality of cylinders circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each cylinder having a substantially centrally located combustion chambar and an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing an annular chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from'said exhaust chamber, means providing a 'second' annular chamber coaxial with said first named annular chamber and positioned circumferentially disposed in parallel relation about a central shaft, each cylinder having a substantially centrally located combustion chamber and an annular exhaust chamber positioned between said combustion chamber and one outer end thereof, and a pair of opposed pistons mounted in each cylinder for reciprocation in opposite directions parallel to said shaft, a cooling system comprising, in combination, means providing a first annular chamber for coolant surrounding said shaft and disposed axially at the opposite side of said combustion chambers of said cylinders from said exhaust chambers, means providing a second annular chamber coaxial with said first annular chamber and positioned between said exhaust chambers and the adjacent outer ends of said cylinders, means providing passages for coolant between said annular chambers, said passage-providing means directing coolant passing therethrough into contact with the walls of said cylinders, means providing a third annular chamber axially intermediate REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,006,269 Phifer Oct. 17, 1911 20 1,828,353 Bleser Oct. 20, 1931 2,243,817 Heermann May 27, 1941 

